Adjustable means to vary point of impact of over-and-under firearms

Abstract

An adjustable means interconnecting the muzzle ends of barrels in an over-and-under firearm to adjust the distance between the muzzle ends of the barrels to alter the point of impact of projectile means discharged from the barrels. The adjustable means includes an elongated yoke affixed to the upper barrel extending downwardly with a slot for receiving the lower barrel. A screw means is provided for adjusting the position of the lower barrel within the vertical slot of the yoke.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a double barrel firearm having an upper barrel that is superimposed over a lower barrel, an adjustment means connecting said upper and lower barrels for varying the point of impact of projectiles fired from the lower barrel relative to the line of sight of the firearm, comprising: an elongated yoke fixed to a muzzle end of the upper barrel and extending downward therefrom;   said elongated yoke having an elongated slot formed by parallel yoke side rails for receiving a muzzle end of the lower barrel therein and for enabling the muzzle end of the lower barrel to slide vertically along the rails within the slot;   adjustment means mounted on the yoke and operatively connected to the lower barrel for manually adjusting the relative position of the lower barrel within the elongated slot to adjust the relative distance between the muzzle ends of the barrels to vary the point of impact of projectiles fired from the lower barrel; and   locking means associated with the adjustment screw for manually locking the adjustment screw to hold the lower barrel at a preset vertical position within the yoke slot.   
     
     
       2. In the double barrel firearm as defined in claim 1 wherein the adjustment means further comprises: a connecting block affixed to the muzzle end of the lower barrel with the adjustment screw having an upper end affixed to the connecting block.   
     
     
       3. In the double barrel firearm as defined in claim 2 wherein the yoke has a vertical threaded aperture formed therein threadably receiving the adjustment screw for enabling the screw to threadably rotate about a vertical axis and to move axially within the aperture and wherein the connecting block includes connecting means operatively connected to the upper end of the adjustment screw for enabling the upper end to rotate with respect to the connecting block while moving the muzzle end of the lower barrel vertically in response to the axial movement of the adjustment screw. 
     
     
       4. In the double barrel firearm as defined in claim 1 wherein the muzzle end of the upper barrel includes a male dovetail way affixed thereto and wherein the yoke includes a complementary female dovetail way channel formed therein for receiving the male dovetail way to mount the yoke to the muzzle end of the upper barrel. 
     
     
       5. In the double barrel firearm as defined in claim 3 wherein the upper end of the adjustment screw has a bulbous portion and wherein the connecting block has adjustable set screws for engaging the bulbous portion to secure the bulbous portion to the connecting block.